U.S. Senators Introduce Bill to Sanction Non-U.S. Companies Selling Certain Monitoring or Blocking Technologies to Iran

Yesterday, Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) introduced S. 1475, a bill that would impose sanctions on non-U.S. companies that sell technology to Iran that could assist the Iranian regime in monitoring or blocking the Internet connections or cell phone conversations of protesters.

Under S. 1475, the Administration would be required to identify non-U.S. companies that export sensitive technology to Iran. Those companies would not be allowed to apply for procurement contracts with the U.S. government, or renew expiring ones, unless they first terminated those exports to Iran. The President could waive this requirement if he determines that such a waiver would be in the national interest of the United States, but he would have to report to Congress on the reasons for the waiver.

Update: The short title of the bill is the "Reduce Iranian Cyber-Suppression Act" and the full text of the bill can be found here.